Program Summary:  This course explores trauma assessment and treatment considerations for lesbian, gay, and bisexual veterans.  The course identifies unique stressors experienced by sexual minoritized veterans and provides context for minority stress and trauma.  Topics of post-traumatic stress disorder, Criterion A events, diagnostic assessment, rapport, and evidence-based practice are discussed.  Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy are highlighted.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

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Program Summary:  This course examines post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans. Using concept analysis, (a method for understanding complex ideas), three defining attributes for PTSD in veterans are identified:  intrusive memories of traumatic events, feelings of isolation and estrangement, and negative cognitions.  DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, screening tools, and treatments are explored.  Three trauma-focused psychotherapies are discussed:  Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

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Program Summary:  The following course highlights research with military Veterans, and information for this course is provided by the National Center for PTSD and the US Department of Veterans Affairs.  This course explores PTSD in older adults and at the end of life and identifies clinical considerations for assessment and treatment.  The course describes how PTSD and aging may interact in new and challenging ways, resulting in the potential for older adults to experience an exacerbation of symptoms for several reasons.  Implications for end of life care are considered and strategies for the management of PTSD symptoms are included.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

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Program Summary:   This course reviews recent literature on suicidal thoughts and behaviors in people on the autism spectrum.  Emerging research on suicide risk factors, screening, assessment, and treatment is discussed. The course offers the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide as a possible framework and explores concepts of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and acquired capability for suicide.  Recommendations for future research is included.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course explores considerations and recommendations for addressing HIV and substance use disorders.  Topics related to unstable housing, sexual risk-taking, substance use disorder screening, co-occurring mental health disorders, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) are discussed.  The course reviews commonly used substances and their impact on HIV and ART.  ART is advised for anyone who has HIV, including those with ongoing substance use.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course explores the topic of depression in cancer patients and offers a discussion of risk factors, symptoms, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.  Common depression screening tools are identified along with suggested questions for the clinical interview.  Interventions including coping strategies, antidepressant medications, and psychotherapies are highlighted.  Cancer is a risk factor for suicide, and information on the assessment and management of suicide risk in cancer patients is given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  
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Program Summary:  This course explores prolonged grief disorder and highlights existing psychological therapies and models.  The course differentiates between normal and abnormal grief and offers an overview of the DSM-5 diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder, predictors of prolonged grief, and maintenance factors.  The reading highlights therapies, including the cognitive model of PTSD as a framework for treating traumatic grief.  The second reading examines possible maladaptive coping strategies, including avoidance, proximity seeking, and rumination.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  
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Program Summary:  This course explores opioid use disorder and reviews trends, treatments, and approaches.  The course offers an overview of the opioid crisis as one of our biggest public health challenges.  Benefits and limitations of existing treatment options are examined with a discussion of naloxone and MOUDs.  The course identifies possible ways to improve existing treatment strategies and highlights new approaches and medical developments.  The course places an emphasis on treating the whole patient and suggests that future treatments may have the potential to cure, not just manage OUD.  A second reading provides information on signs of an overdose, Naloxone, identifying OUD, and diagnostic criteria.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  
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Program Summary:  This course explores current AI trends and future prospects for enhancing mental health.  The course examines the transformative role of AI in mental healthcare and highlights applications in diagnosis, treatment, therapy delivery, monitoring, and follow-up.  Current examples of AI tools are provided, including chatbot-based therapy, emotional health apps, and smart mental health tools.  Strengths, limitations, and ethical considerations are discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course examines evidence-based, whole-person care for pregnant people with opioid use disorder.  The course offers recommendations and guidance about OUD medication during pregnancy and highlights considerations for screening and assessment, changing pharmacotherapy during pregnancy, admission and discharge, polysubstance use, and treating the ‘whole person.’

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course is the third of a 3-part series on recovery from problematic substance use and examines counseling approaches for promoting harm reduction, preventing recurrence, sustaining recovery, and promoting a healthy life.  There are many evidence-based practices that can help clients meet their goals for recovery.  Chapter 3 explores harm reduction, trauma -informed care, motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy, contingency management, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, and psychoeducation.  Chapter 4 examines four domains that assist a life in recovery:  health, home, purpose, and community.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

We do not recommend this course if you completed our previous course, Counseling Approaches to Promote Recovery from Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues (15 credit hours), as it covers the same course material. Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course is the second of a 3-part series on recovery from problematic substance use and offers a framework for supporting recovery with counseling.  The course explores strengths-based, recovery-oriented counseling and includes a discussion of values, recovery capital, unconditional positive regard, cues for health and well-being, self-efficacy, and motivation.  The course highlights sociocultural considerations and the importance of cultural responsiveness.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

We do not recommend this course if you completed our previous course, Counseling Approaches to Promote Recovery from Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues (15 credit hours), as it covers the same course material.

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Program Summary:  This course is the first of a 3-part series on recovery from problematic substance use.  The course provides an introduction to recovery-oriented counseling and describes a shift in SUD treatment away from a model of specialized treatment that focuses primarily on abstinence and toward a different model of integrated care that is strengths-based, client-driven, and offers a broad range of services.  Recovery is increasingly viewed as a process of change rather than an end point.  Current recovery research is highlighted and includes a discussion of neurological, genetic, and epigenetic bases for problematic substance use.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

We do not recommend this course if you completed our previous course, Counseling Approaches to Promote Recovery from Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues (15 credit hours), as it covers the same course material. Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course explores current research related to medications to treat opioid use disorder.  The course offers an overview of methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone and compares their effectiveness and how they work.  Misconceptions, misunderstandings, and diversion risks are discussed.  The course examines opioid use disorder treatment for special populations, including those with HIV, those in the military, those in the criminal justice system, and pregnant mothers.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:   This course explores the unique needs of special populations experiencing stimulant use disorders.  The course examines treatment and care considerations for the following groups:  racial/ethnic minorities, women, men who have sex with men, the transgender and gender nonbinary community, adolescents, people experiencing homelessness, rural populations, people involved with the criminal justice system, people with or at risk for HIV/AIDs, and more.  Strategies are given for improving engagement, rapport, and treatment outcomes.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

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Program Summary:   This course explores recent research on stimulant use disorders along with best treatment practices. The course examines how cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription stimulants affect neurobiology, the brain, and behavior.  Common medical and psychological complications are discussed.  The course describes the best supported treatment approaches; contingency management is highlighted as the primary psychosocial treatment for stimulant disorders.  Strategies for supporting patients in treatment and recovery are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

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Program Summary:   This course examines the prevalence of prescription stimulant use and misuse among youth and young adults.  Short and long term health effects of prescription stimulant use are explored along with risk and protective factors.  Opportunities for prevention are discussed, and considerations for screening, assessment, and treatment are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:   This course offers an overview of the behavioral health service needs, challenges, and opportunities of individuals experiencing homelessness.  The course highlights five evidence-based interventions, including medication for opioid use disorder, motivational interviewing, intensive case management, Community Reinforcement Approach, and peer support.  Important strategies are given for engaging individuals experiencing homelessness and reducing barriers.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:   This course provides an overview of concurrent substance use and concurrent substance use disorder, exploring risk factors, protective factors, screening, assessment, and treatment.  Three treatment approaches are examined including FDA-approved pharmacotherapy with counseling, contingency management with FDA-approved pharmacotherapy and counseling, and twelve-step facilitation therapy with FDA-approved pharmacotherapy and counseling.  Strategies for managing clinical issues are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:   This course explores the unique needs and challenges of older adults with serious mental illness and provides an overview of evidence-based psychosocial interventions.  Five interventions are examined including Assertive Community Treatment, Cognitive Behavioral Social Skills Training, Functional Adaptation Skills Training, Integrated Illness Management and Recovery, and Helping Older People Experience Success.  The course offers guidance for selecting and implementing evidence-based practices.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Course Summary:  The college years represent a major life transition for young adults as they begin to navigate a larger world.  We know that many mental disorders often begin during adolescence and early adulthood and an increasing number of college students report mental health concerns.  This course explores common mental disorders among college students, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.  Evidence-based clinical interventions and treatments are highlighted along with strategies for working with diverse student populations.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.
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